News Desk: Former US senator Sherrod Brown is seeking to return to the United States Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, setting up a contest against Republican candidate Jon Husted in Ohio. A veteran Democratic politician, Brown is focusing his campaign on workers’ rights, healthcare costs, manufacturing jobs and rising household expenses.
Brown represented Ohio in the Senate from 2007 to 2025. Before entering the Senate, he served in the US House of Representatives, the Ohio House of Representatives and as Ohio’s secretary of state. He is now attempting to regain the Senate seat after losing his re-election bid in 2024.
The 73-year-old politician has built his campaign around economic issues that directly affect Ohio residents. He has promised to hold health insurance companies accountable, reduce prescription drug prices and strengthen protections for workers and consumers. He has also called for large data centres to pay the full cost of the electricity and other utilities they use, rather than shifting those expenses to ordinary households.
A career focused on workers and manufacturing
Born in Mansfield, Ohio, Brown studied Russian studies at Yale University before completing postgraduate degrees in public administration and education at Ohio State University. He later taught at the university before expanding his career in public service.
During his years in the Senate, Brown concentrated on manufacturing, pensions, healthcare and consumer protection. He introduced the Butch Lewis Act, which provided financial assistance to struggling multiemployer pension plans. He also supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which funded improvements to transportation, drinking water, broadband access and disaster resilience.
His 2026 campaign draws heavily on that record, with a particular emphasis on reducing living costs and protecting jobs in Ohio.
Trade, tariffs and immigration
Brown has long supported policies intended to protect American manufacturing and prevent jobs from moving overseas. He opposed several free-trade agreements but backed the revised US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, arguing that it included stronger labour protections.
He has also criticised President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, warning that higher import costs could affect consumers, farmers and small businesses. His campaign has used the issue to challenge Husted’s economic approach.
On immigration, Brown has supported proposals to make it easier for highly skilled foreign graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to obtain permanent residency. At the same time, he has emphasised the importance of protecting domestic workers and manufacturing employment.
Iran conflict and artificial intelligence
Brown has opposed the US approach to the Iran conflict, arguing that the war could increase fuel and fertiliser costs for American families and farmers. He has also raised concerns about artificial intelligence, including potential discrimination in lending, fraud and job displacement.
His campaign has called for stronger safeguards for consumers and workers and greater accountability for the energy consumption of data centres.
A closely watched political contest
The contest between Brown and Husted has highlighted disagreements over economic policy, energy costs, trade and immigration. Husted, a Republican and former Ohio lieutenant governor, has criticised Democratic immigration policies, while Brown has challenged his opponent’s positions on tariffs and data-centre development.
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Ohio’s Senate race is expected to draw national attention. The contest will test whether Brown can regain the seat and return to Washington after nearly two decades in the Senate.
Beyond politics, Brown is married to author and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Connie Schultz. The couple live in Columbus and have a blended family of four children and eight grandchildren.
The central question for Ohio voters is whether Brown’s record and promises on economic security will persuade them to return him to the Senate, or whether Husted will retain the advantage for Republicans in the state.
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